Growing up I read a lot. The past ten years or so, not so much. I really enjoy reading and want to read more, but I feel like I need to find balance. The reason that I hardly ever read anymore is that I have this problem where I can not function in day to day life until I finish whatever book I am reading... especially if it's particularly good. I'll start a book and stay up reading until 2:00 in the morning and then the next day I'll read any chance I get. Nothing gets done around the house. I'm trying to force independent play time on my son so that I can sit on the couch and keep reading. I pass him off to my husband as soon as he walks in the door from work so that I can go stay up until 2:00 a.m. again and finish my book and then be COMPLETELY non-functioning the next day too because of a lack of sleep!
And if it's a SERIES of books... and it's GOOD... forget it! There is no hope that our house will survive a week straight of me reading.
I don't know how to find that balance. My goal this month was to read one book. The book I chose was Good In Bed by Jennifer Weiner. She also wrote In Her Shoes and Little Earthquakes. The reason that I picked that book was because I had already read the first quarter of the book... almost a year ago. (pathetic... I know!) I started the book last spring and then life just sort of got in the way. I even brought it with me to the hospital when I was in labor. (Boy was I delusional thinking I would read then!) I hadn't picked up the book since. So I picked it for two reasons: 1) I had already started it and I needed to finish it. Plus, my Mom had given me the book to read and on occasion asks if I've finished it, and then I just feel stupid that it's been over a year and my answer is still no...and 2) I figured that if I hadn't been prompted to pick it back up yet, then maybe it wouldn't suck me in to the point where I couldn't put it down and I could just read a book like a normal person. WRONG.
Sunday night I resumed my reading. The second part of the book totally sucked me in. I stayed up until 2:00 a.m. and finished the book. Sigh. So, I can cross reading a book off my list, but I still need to figure out how to find some balance in that department!
I stopped reading for a long time because I would get so into the characters. I would be all freaked out if it was a scary book or start to use accents or phrases I would be reading...but then I realized that for me, it is all about the type of book I am reading. So now I am reading again, but much lighter stuff.
ReplyDeleteI am always so inspired by your to-do list. not sure if I am brave enough to post mine though. :)
That's really funny :-) I have issues getting wrapped up in the characters too.. especially if it's been turned into a movie.
ReplyDeleteMy list hasn't been too embarassing yet... but I'm completely dreading when I have to post pictures of my bedroom (shamefully messy!) or our garage! Eeek!!!